Actus Reus
by Cerulean Leader
Summary: Watching on in horror as a fierce battle played out before his eyes, Nightwing can't help but feel that he is responsible for it. / "Actus Reus - Latin for 'guilty act." Spitfire, slight WonderBeetle, Supermartian and Miss Martian x Lagoon Boy.


**Actus Reus**

_**by Cerulean Leader**_

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice.**

**"Actus Reus - Latin for 'guilty act'."**

* * *

This was getting insane. It was absolutely ridiculous how mental the situation had gotten. Screams of agony echoed through heroes' ears, bruises and shame covered their person because they were having trouble protecting the world. Was this really what the world had resorted too? Was this what The Reach and The Light wanted all along?

Nightwing's eyes had widened in horror as he clutched his ribs. His suit had been ripped through when Deathstroke had tried to slice his skin deep enough to kill him, though he had just managed to move out of the way in time, even though he still had a cut. Crimson blood was covering his gloved hands as it seeped through the material.

Wonder Girl and Blue Beetle had been knocked to the ground already, eyes closed and bodies at awkward angles. Blue Beetle was lying on his stomach; arm twisted in a chicken-wing like position as he bit his lip, trying to conceal his scream. Cassie was out cold already, not moving at all. She had a deep cut on her forehead. Jaime let out a gasp as he tried to move closer to her to wake her, but she just wouldn't budge.

Lagoon Boy had been knocked out almost instantly when he charged into battle recklessly, despite the warnings from the rest of the team. Even Impulse, who was way too similar to Wally, when he was fifteen, for his own good, had managed to keep it together enough to listen to a strategy by the original Robin. M'gann had tried to stop him by calling his name, but was paused by Conner who thrust his arm out in front of her, as well as Beast Boy who grabbed onto his foster sister's wrist in comfort.

Speaking of the green changeling, he was fighting with all of his remaining against Mammoth. He was standing tall in his gorilla form, fists raised above his head to gain enough pressure to bring down some gravity on top of Mammoth's hard head. The motion didn't do much damage, only causing him some confusion at best but it was enough for Beast Boy to morph into a leopard and proceed to scratch his enemy's face.

Robin was having a bit more luck because he had been paired against Cobra, already cutting the cord which injected the venom into his body so it enhanced his muscles and senses so he became animalistic. He was now using the end of his bo-staff to electrocute the man, so that he toppled to the rocky floor.

Batgirl, who was not far away from her fellow Batman pupil, was up against Shimmer, almost easily taking her down with her hand-to-hand combat skills. She was only slightly roughened up, due to her concentration wavering, but she finally pulled back and her head was in the game now.

Wally had decided to come back and help. He couldn't sit back and wait anymore. No matter how much he had wanted to leave, the hero life would always be a part of him. He was currently speeding around the obstacles of people, buildings and wreckage from all over the city to find Artemis. They had found out her true identity not long ago, and now he was racing to find his lost love – the girl he hadn't seen in months because of the stupid undercover mission his best friend had asked her to take on. Psimon had just woken up from the drug the blonde had shot at him, and had spilled everything to Black Manta, including the part where his own son was a traitor.

When Artemis had time to sneak away for a few moments from her current role as Tigress, the two would spend the time holding each other, sneaking in a few kisses in here and there but mostly they were glad to be in each other's arms, even if it was only the short time they had.

Speaking of Artemis and Kaldur, the two were outside one of Black Manta's ships, getting horrifically beaten by troops and Deathstroke alike. It seemed to pain Aqualad's father to watch people inflict pain on his son and one of his most trusted acquaintances, but it had to be done. Kid Flash was in a rage when he saw this, and almost immediately took control, with the help of Superboy who had long left M'gann alone to fight on her own while protecting La'gann at the same time.

The Justice League were fighting their respective arch nemesis', Batman with the Joker, Superman with Lex Luthor in a superpowered body suit, Wonder Woman with Cheetah… All too pre-occupied with their own battles to help their young protégée's or trying to get citizens away safely.

Bumblebee and Mal, now as Guardian, were now trying to take down Black Beetle, but were struggling, while Zatanna and Rocket had decided to team up, like old times, to take down Ambassador.

Was this really what The Reach and The Light wanted? Only fighting until it came down to the last breath of either side? Was the cost not to great already?

Nightwing continued to watch on in horror. He had wanted to stop this, not make it any worse. He wanted to be the one to crack this case before Batman, but he had just made things worse. He needed to help, somehow. He needed to make things right.

All of them had their own reasons to fight, but the main one was common.

To protect, as they had promised when they had made the oath to justice.

* * *

**A/N: I'm in an angsty kind of mood because I heard that Young Justice was getting cancelled, and I wasn't really in the mood to write a fic with any dialogue or happy ending, so I just left it. It's 2am, I'm tired and angry, so I apologise for the horrible grammar and rush-ed-ness? :(**

**I still can't believe it. Please, to everyone out there, do everything you can to help stop Young Justice from getting cancelled and let it have a Season 3. As much as I love Batman, I don't want YJ's time slot on DC Nation to be taken up by yet _another _Batman cartoon. I'm excited for the Teen Titans GO! cartoon, of course, but... Young Justice is my favourite show at the moment. :\ **

**Word Count: 930**

**~CL**


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